


A Step Towards Happiness

by Oliver__Niko



Series: FE Trans Week [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Acceptance, Coming Out, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Set before the battle of Duscur, Shopping, Trans Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25309564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: After Felix comes out to his accepting brother, he is taken out to buy some new clothes.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Glenn Fraldarius
Series: FE Trans Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833268
Comments: 23
Kudos: 61
Collections: Fire Emblem Trans Week 2020!





	A Step Towards Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> Trans Week is here! I have literally nothing but Felix content, as I just ... adore him.
> 
> Here's something light-hearted to begin with. I hope you enjoy! For the prompts 'acceptance' and 'fashion.'

Never has Felix’s heart beaten faster than it does in this moment. He’s enveloped in a chill from head to toe, anxiety gripping at him and bringing nausea to his stomach. In his lap are his small, trembling hands.

A larger pair soon hold them. The man they belong to kneels in front of Felix, squeezing before one hand reaches to Felix’s face; a thumb wipes away a tear Felix hasn’t even realised is there. He’s always been quite the crier, especially when younger. He’s not quite ever grown out of the habit, even now he is twelve-years-old.

“Hey, now,” says Glenn. “No need to cry.”

“I haven’t even told you what I need to tell you.”

“Yeah, well, I still know everything is going to be okay. Come on, when are big brothers wrong?”

“All the time,” answers Felix, smiling through his tears when Glenn gives him a gentle push. It fades as his head turns away. Fingers tuck strands of hair behind his ears. Choppy, uneven hair that barely reaches past his ears; one too many times of being called ‘Young Mistress’ made him act before he could think, left with this unkept hair after.

His father will likely be the one to fix it, although Felix will not let anyone talk to him now but Glenn.

“Talk to me. What’s been bothering you?”

Felix’s lips purse, eyes finding the ground, his legs swaying gently. The heels of his boots bounce off the low wall he sits on. His brother crouches in front of him still, waiting. Felix will always talk to him, even when it takes some time.

How can he say it? He already knows it cannot possibly be normal. Normal girls and boys don’t wish they were born the opposite. They don’t feel a sting inside when referred to in a certain way, when dressed in clothing that are designated to how they were born, despite how it’s all merely pieces of fabric in the end anyway.

That Felix has been told little by little about puberty, how that will be beginning for him soon, and the thought of growing breasts and all the other things in store terrify him.

“Is this something about how you feel?” Glenn asks. Felix nods slowly. “And it’s making you sad?” Another nod, still staring at the ground. “We can’t have that. So tell me.”

“I … I-I wish I was like you.”

“In what way, sweetie? Because you’re already real good with a sword, you know.”

Felix shakes his head. A few more tears trickle down his cheeks. “It’s not … You’re not …” Felix’s grip on the hand he’s holding tightens. “Glenn, I don’t think I was born right.”

Out of the corner of Felix’s eye, he notices Glenn straighten; his own eyes have likely widened. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not … I don’t think I was meant to be born a girl.”

An array of emotions fills Felix. A sense of relief from finally uttering those words for the first time in his life, yet a crushing anxiety; he surprises himself when he manages to look up when both of Glenn’s hands wipe away his tears.

“You’re a boy, is what you’re saying?” says Glenn. Felix can only stare, mouth open.

“You get it?”

“Not personally. But I know about this, you know.” Glenn smiles, cupping Felix’s cheeks. “It’s really not all that much of a shock.”

Felix can hardly believe his ears. “It doesn’t weird you out?”

“Why would it? I have a little brother instead of a sister. That’s all there is to it.” A kiss is pressed to Felix’s forehead. “So long as I still get to do that, I’m okay.”

“Yeah. It’s fine,” Felix mumbles. He’s barely able to say anything else. Not with the height of his relief, his surprise.

Deep down, he’s perhaps known Glenn would react this way. Glenn is accepting of everyone. He’s full of snark, an attitude, but it’s the same treatment he will give no matter who you are. Differences are to be valued, in his eyes. It’s what gives the world character.

Still, Felix cannot stop himself from bursting into a fresh flood of tears, hands shooting to cover his eyes.

“I-I-I didn’t know how to tell you,” he sobs. “I’ve felt like … l-like this forever, and I never—”

“Shh, it’s okay. I know. I know.” Glenn’s arms wrap around Felix, bringing him closer with a hand over his head. “When you say forever, does that mean you’ve been hiding this for a very long time?”

Felix nods, burying his head into Glenn’s shoulder. “Mm. I think I realised when,” he sniffs, ”w-well, I’m not exactly sure when, but it’s been a long time.”

“And you’ve been referred to in a way which has made you upset for that long. I’m sorry.”

“No, no it’s not you, you’re amazing and I—”

“Me, amazing? No, I think that’s you, when you’re the best little brother a guy can ask for.” Glenn gently eases Felix back from him, handing over a handkerchief from his pocket. “Do you have a name you think you want to use instead?”

“I like Felix,” says Felix. “I always imagine everyone calling me that.”

“Like the cat you loved when you were a kid?” Glenn smiles from Felix’s nod. “It suits you. Felix it is.”

Felix smiles as well, although it’s soon to fade, the boy picking at his nails. “Do … do you think father will be okay with it?”

“I think father will love you no matter who you are. He might need to convince a few others, but we’re right here besides you, and there’s going to be magic that can help with anything you need. We might also slip up on occasion as we get used to this, and if we do, I want you to not be afraid to correct us. Okay?”

The thought is a little anxiety-inducing, but Felix nods. “Okay. Will you help me talk to him?”

“You know I will, Felix.” Glenn squeezes Felix’s shoulders, his smile now more tantamount to a grin. “He doesn’t get home until later. How about until then, I go take you out to town and we can go to a tailor and ask for some new clothes?”

Felix’s eyes widen. Clothing hasn’t always been a large issue, for with how much he trains, it’s never been unusual for him to prefer trousers; he still, however, has always dreamed of wearing what other boys tend to wear during parties and gatherings. “That’d be awesome!”

“Then let’s get going,” says Glenn, ruffling Felix’s hair before rising to his feet. “I’m going to make you into the most handsome gentleman, just you wait.”

* * *

It’s not too long of a ride to reach town. As it’s only the two of them, they’re able to venture the way on a single horse without a carriage, with Felix perched in front of Glenn.

He’s nervous. The Fraldarius family are renowned, everyone able to recognise the head of navy-blue hair, a beautiful trait of their men especially. Anyone would be able to notice the two brothers in an instant. And to everyone else, until a day where perhaps everyone can understand that Felix is not a girl after all, they are a brother and sister instead.

Glenn is reassuring, however. He says, “Don’t worry, I bet I can handle this.” And it’s hardly anything, no explanation as to how this is possible, yet Felix is able to trust those words all the same. It is Glenn, after all, the big brother who has accepted Felix in an instant. Of course he knows what to do.

The place Glenn takes him is a common boutique nobles visit. Ready-made clothes are available here, as well as personalised orders. It’s luckily quiet. Merely two shoppers are here, two women far from where Felix would like to venture, as well as a member of staff on duty.

“Oh, welcome!” says this woman once the bell on the door tingles, bowing. “It is always an honour to be visited by the Fraldarius family.”

“How do you do?” asks Glenn. There must be something about his smile that charms the girl, for she nods, almost tripping over her feet.

“I am very well, thank you. How can I help you both today?”

“We’ll be browsing for now, but I’ll be sure to call on you when needed.”

“Of course! I shall be right there with you.”

Whilst the woman is walking away, Felix is glancing around nervously. He’s not sure on exactly where to go. His wants and needs don’t align with what he is used to. Whilst he so desperately wants to go to the section for young boys, all he has known his entire life is being directed to that for girls.

Glenn’s arm wraps around his shoulders, hand patting him. “Come on,” says Glenn. “If anyone asks, I have a whole array of excuses. Okay?”

“Okay.” Felix says, a little quieter, “But … but what if we got dad into trouble?”

“For getting you some clothes? It’s only a label, Fe. It’ll all be fine, I promise.”

His eyes drop to the floor with a smile. ‘Fe’ … a nickname already. There’s something unbelievably warming about that. It takes acceptance of a name to shorten it in a friendly manner. The name is natural for him to hear, Felix connected to it far more than he has ever been to his birth name. It’s a sign he is right about everything after all.

“Do you know what you want?” asks Glenn, once the two are stood among the boys’ clothes. Felix hums, eventually shaking his head.

“I’ve never really thought about it properly. I just know that I’ve wanted to shop here.”

“That’s all fine. You can learn about your tastes as you get older, can’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Felix noticeably perks up. “Thanks, Glenn.”

The two begin to search through hangers of clothing. If the member of staff deems this as odd, she doesn’t say anything; the two are left to their own devices. Felix is having a blast sifting through them. No specific article he wants pops into mind, however simply the experience of being able to look through this clothing is everything and more to him.

“Do you feel uncomfortable about using the changing rooms?” asks Glenn, Felix humming. “In that case, I’ll go by your measurements. You can try on all this at home and then I can return it if it doesn’t fit or you don’t like it anymore.”

Soon, the pair have found a few pairs of trousers and shirts. Felix realises that some of it is not unlike what he wears now. His personality has always been apparent in how he chooses to dress himself; it’s simply now that he is able to truly embrace who he is.

Not a single piece stands out from the rest until he finds the one. He pulls a hanger off a rail to reveal a blue jacket, complete with a hood and cape lined in fur. A smile is quickly spreading across his face.

Glenn is smiling too, leaning down to have a look. “This the one?”

“Mm!”

“Well, try it on, then! It’s a jacket, so you can just do so now.”

Felix is almost clumsy with removing his current outerwear, fumbling around from his excitement. He’s careful when pulling his arms through the sleeves, however, knowing better than to risk tugging at seams of clothing in a store this way. Glenn straightens out his hood.

“Oh, this is _definitely_ you,” says Glenn. “Come on, look in the mirror!”

No time is wasted in Felix bouncing in front of it. The already existing smile on his face grows even further. It’s simply … so _cool._ He has a cape! If he were to have a sword on his hip, he’d look exactly like a swordsman heading into battle.

“A match made in heaven, it seems. What do you like about it?”

“I really like the colour, the fur …”

“And the cape?”

“The cape most of all,” Felix says in agreement. He turns from side-to-side when watching himself in the mirror. Perfectly ready to strike a bold pose, channelling the confidence this single jacket manages to give him.

Instead, his eyes are glistening with tears, and he sniffs. “Thank you for this, Glenn.”

“It’s my pleasure, truly.” Glenn pulls up the sleeves of the jacket, bringing up the material away from Felix’s hands. “It’s a little big for you, but I’m sure we can get it tailored more to your size. I can get that order in when getting others made for you.”

“That means I would have to wait,” Felix says, pouting. “I don’t want to.”

“I know, but it’ll be well worth it, right?”

“Yeah … What else will you be ordering?”

“That’s a secret,” says Glenn, ruffling Felix’s hair. “I think I know exactly the kind of clothing you’d like, so I’m going to talk to her about them while I get these bought for you. Do you want to wait outside?”

Glenn seems to understand how anxious standing in this store is making Felix, especially now a few more people accompany them inside and are glancing over. Felix takes his leave. Outside, he finds himself glancing at others wandering the streets, particularly the men and wondering if he too can look like that one day.

In the past, thinking about this would sadden him; he’d often be convinced that he’s going to have to try and live as a girl, no matter how deeply he doesn’t want to. Now, however, with the first support given to him … The future is a little brighter now, and all it took was a single person to grant him that hope.

Glenn soon emerges from the store. “I packed what I could in here,” he says, patting a bag resting on his side. “Totally forgot that I’d have to ride a horse home, so some of it will be available with the rest. But there’s still plenty!”

The love Felix has for his brother is almost overwhelming; he’s soon wrapping his arms around Glenn’s waist, resting his head on the other’s torso. “Thank you,” is all he says, despite how there’s so much more to express. Glenn seems to understand that which is left unspoken. He hugs Felix back tightly.

“Anything to make you happy, Felix.”

His name again. It causes a tear to trickle from Felix’s eye. He pulls back, wiping an arm at his face. “Can we talk to father when we get home?”

“Absolutely. I’m right here with you. With everyone else, too.”

“It’s going to be difficult, isn’t it?”

Glenn leans down, planting a kiss on top of his head. “I’m not going to lie and say it might not be hard at times. But I promise I’m going to do all I can for you. And hey, at least you know your friends will be fine—I bet they will support you just as much as me.”

Felix hums. “Sometimes I think they might even understand. And I bet the only trouble will be Ingrid feeling annoyed that she’s the only girl in the group, after all.”

“You and Sylvain are still a handful for her, regardless of what gender either of you are,” says Glenn, chuckling. “Come on. Let’s head home.”

These words both bring anxiety to Felix’s chest, yet also increase his excitement; if his father will support him even half as much as his brother has, Felix knows they will have set him straight on the path to happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> If you'd like to see my artwork for this week as well, feel free to follow me on Twitter @nikobynight.


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